Domestic laundering machines



April 11, 1967 P. w. DOUGLAS 1 3,313,130

DOMESTIC LAUNDERING MACHINES Filed Oct. 23, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 VINVENTOR Peytbn W. Douglas P. W. DOUGLAS DOMESTIC LAUNDERING MACHINESApril 11, 1967 Filed Oct. 23, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTIOR Peyton W.Douglas April 1 1, 1967 P. w. DOUGLAS DOMESTIC LAUNDERING MACHINESasheets-sneet 3 Filed Oct. 25. 1965 Fig.4

5 .m g u R0 00 WW V H o i y e P United States Patent 3,313,130 DOMESTICLAUNDERING MACHINES Peyton W. Douglas, Bemus Point, N.Y., assignor toBlackstone Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 23, 1965,Ser. No. 503,548 2 Claims. (Cl. 68-23) Be it known that I, Peyton W.Douglas, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bemus Point, Countyof Chautauqua, State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in domestic laundering machines of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in domestic laundering machinesof the type in which a single receptacle is utilized for washing,rinsing and centrifugally drying clothes. More particularly theinvention is directed to structural features which permit rapiddischarge of water and sediment, e.g., sand and slit from the clothesreceptacle, and to drying clothes.

The present invention is in the nature of an improvement over myco-pending application Ser. No. 229,923, filed Oct. 11, 1962, now PatentNo. 3,215,232.

In the washing, rinsing and centrifugal drying of clothes, the rapidremoval of sediment (sand, silt, etc.) and water from the clothesreceptacle has been a problem which has not been satisfactorily solve-d.Many devices and expedients have been suggested for accomplishing thispurpose but the problem, particularly as respects removal of sedimentsuch as sand and silt, has remained.

I have invented a domestic laundering machine in which the problem ofrapid removal of sediment and water is accomplished. The device of myinvention is simple and readily adaptable in many conventionallaundering machines of the wash, rinse and centrifugal dry type.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention I provide in a washing machinehaving a receptacle rotatable about a vertical axis, a housing on thebottom thereof, a fixed stationary member adapted to receive and supportsaid receptacle, said housing having an at-rest position on said fixedstationary member, a depending drain member on the bottom of saidreceptacle, stopper means on the housing adapted to move into engagementwith said drain when the housing is in the at-rest position and out ofengagement when the receptacle is not in the at-rest position, a driveshaft on the axis of the receptacle, means for lifting said housing fromits at-rest position and rotating it, comprising a shaft member enteringsaid housing, a lift member mounted on said shaft and rotatabletherewith, clutch means on the lift member engageable with said housingand means operatively connecting said lift member and clutch means in amanner to axially raise said clutch means into engagement with thehousing whereby the housing is raised from its at-rest position movingthe stopper means from the drain member and rotated when said shaft isrotated in one direction and to lower the clutch means out of engagementwith the housing and the housing onto the stationary member moving thestopper means into closing position in the drain means when the shaft ismoved in the opposite direction. Preferably the clothes receptacle issurrounded by a water receptacle which receives the water and sedimentdischarged from the drain.

In the foregoing general description I have set out certain purposes,objects and advantages of my invention. Other objects, purposes andadvantages will be apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a cabinet enclosed washingmachine, partly broken away, embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical segmental section Patented Apr. 11,1967 ice through a domestic laundering machine of my invention showingthe drain in open position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical segmental section of the machine ofFIGURE 2 with the housing in the atrest position and drain in closedposition;

FIGURE 4 is a segmental section of a drain according to a secondembodiment of my invention; and

FIGURE 5 is an exploded isometric view of the parts involved in raisingand lowering and spinning the receptacle.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 isemployed to generally designate a rectangular cabinet in which a singlereceptacle washing, rinsing, and centrifugally drying machine, embodyingthe invention, is contained. The cabinet forms no part of the inventionand is illustrated solely for the purpose of disclosing the generalproportions required to enclose the structure. Within the cabinet, aportion of the bottom of a collector tank is shown and it will beunderstood that this tank encloses a washing receptacle 12, the bottomwall 13 of which is shown in part in FIGURE 1. A rigid base wall 14 ofthe cabinet centrally mounts an endthrust bearing 15 for a drive shaft16. A cone-like member 17 and an enclosing sleeve 18 for the shaft formthe support for said collector and receptacle. The shaft 16 is rotatableby a driven pulley 19 and provides support for the receptacle 12 duringa part of a laundering operation. The shaft 16 and fixed sleeve 18project upwardly through the wall 11 of the collector tank,substantially as shown. A tubular member 22 is secured to the upper endof the fixed sleeve 18 and includes a radially enlarged upper end 23,the top surface of which takes the form of an annular ledge 24 thatlocates and secures a seat plate 26. A suitable boot 27, carried by thebase wall of the tank 11, engages the depending portion of the tubularmember 22. Within the member 22, a suitable seal 28 is provided by whichto prevent liquid contained in the tank 11 from seeping into the area inwhich the shaft 16 is located.

Centrally, the base 13 of the receptacle 12 includes a series ofannular, radially, inwardly stepped up flanges 29 which terminate in anopening 31. The purpose of this configuration in the base is toaccommodate and match the top section 32 of a transmission housing 33.Spaced drain members 13a depend from openings 13b in the bottom wall 13.Screens 13c are provided in each opening 13b. Centrally, the section 32is reinforced and includes an apertured neck 34 that extends upwardlythrough the base 13 into the receptacle and serves as a support for thelower end of an agitator shaft 36 and enclosing sleeve 37. The lowersection 38 of the housing 33 includes a rim 39 that matches and issecured to the depending rim of the top section 32. These parts providean enclosed space 40 in which the entire mechanism for oscillating theagitator 41 and spinning the receptacle is contained. The section 38 hasa central cup-like recess 42, from the base of which are upstanding lugs43. The space 44, within the lugs 43, is bridged by a plate 46 which issecured by suitable studs 47 that engage the lugs 43 (see FIGURES 2 or3). The plate 46 has a central opening 48. The under surface of theplate 46 has a friction pad 49 attached thereto. That portion of thehousing part 38 that forms the cup-like recess 42 has an integraldepending annular shoulder 51, the diameter of which is such that itmatches the diameter of the seat plate 26. Inasmuch as the plate 26,through member 22, is carried by the fixed sleeve 18, it is evident thatthe receptacle, when in position of rest, may seat on the plate 26 andthe entire weight of the receptacle and contents will be supported bythe sleeve 18. Arms 51a equal in number and spacing to drain member 13aare i pivoted in slots 51b in the shoulder 51 and bear against As isshown in the drawings, the upper end of shaft.

16 projects into the. recess 42 and somewhat beyond into the generalinterior area 40 of the housing 33. This endof the shaft is cut to forma pinion 52. The upper end of this pinionis employed to operate anoscillating mechanism for the purpose of actuating the agitator 41 inwell known manner. Since this particular mechanism is old and wellknown, it is not shown nor considered to be a part of the structure onwhich patent protection is currently sought. A clutch plate 53 in theform of a disk, includes a central collar portion 54 which extends aboveand below the disk. Since this plate, in use, is intended to carry theweight of the receptacle, the under portion of the collar is reinforcedby ribs 56. The upper portion of the collar (see FIGURE 5) is providedwith a series of laterally projecting lugs 57. A relatively thin plate58 of the same diameter as'the clutch 53 has a central opening which isnotched, as at 59, to the same extent as lugs 57 are provided, and it isproposed to seat this plate on the clutch with the lugs fitting therecesses 59.

Within the opening formed by the collar portion 54 is a ring 61. In anysuitable manner this ring is permanently attached to the circularwallformed by the collar portion 54. The inner surface of the ring 61 isformed with a spiral groove 62. A lift member 63 takes the form of adownwardly opening cup-like nut, the top thereof being apertured, as at64, to fit and enable mounting it on the pinion 52. This connectionrequires the member. 63 to at all times rotate with the shaft 16.

The circumferential vertical wall of this member is formed with a spiralgroove 66, and the difference in diameter between the inner wall of ring61 and the circumferential wall of member 63 provides a slightclearance. When a series of balls 67 are fitted into the spiral groovesof the member 63 and ring 61, theballs may feed upwardly or downwardlyofthe cooperative grooves, thus providing anti-friction, thread-likeconnection between the member 63 and the clutch 53.

In explaining operation of the present structure, it will be kept inmind that the drive shaft 16 not only serves to oscillate the agitatorwhen rotating in one direction but also serves to raise and rotate thereceptacle 12 when driven in the opposite direction and, of course, itis with this latter phase of a washing cycle that the present inventionis particularly concerned. Attention is particularly directed to FIGURE3, wherein it will be seen that the receptacle 12, by means of theannular shoulder 51, rests upon and is supported by the seat plate 26and in this position the pinion 52 of the shaft 16 projects sufficientlyinto the space 40 of the housing to be engageable with a suitableoscillating mechanism for the agitator 41. In other words, the positionof the parts shown in this figure represents the at-rest" position of-the receptacle which may be for agitator operation or the shut-downposition of all parts of the machine.

In the washing cycle, following an agitator operation, it becomesnecessary to remove the liquid contained in the receptacle and this isaccomplished by spinning the receptacle. The automatic sequence ofoperation of a machine of the nature'disclosed is such that, followingthe washing operation, the motor is stopped 'and then caused to rotatethe drive pulley 19 in the opposite direction. In the present showing,this would be clockwise. Immediately the shaft 16 commences rotation inthis direction, the lift member or nut 63 rotates and, through balls 67,causes the clutch plate 53 to move upwardly to a position such that itengages the friction pad 49 attached to the under surface of thebridging plate 46. Continued rotation of shaft 16 causes the clutchplate to lift the receptacle from off the seat 26, thus rendering thereceptacle freeto rotate. The position of the parts in this circumstanceare shown in FIGURE 2. In this position the arms 51a drop away from thedrain members 13a opening the receptaclc 13 to the collector tank 11through screen 130 in opening 13b. This permits the water in thereceptacle to rush into the collector carrying with it all sediment inthe receptacle. Of course, with the receptacle full of clothes andliquid, there will be a certain measure of slippage between the drivenclutch plate and the friction pad 49 until such time as speed ofrotation of the receptacle approaches or approximates the speed ofrotation of the shaft and clutch plate. Rotation of the receptaclecontinues through a period timed to remove a substantial part of theliquid contained in the receptacle and in the clothes within it. At thistime, the cycling mechanism shuts olf the motor and, when the receptacleslows down and comes-to a stop, the weight thereof will cause thereceptacle, through the clutch plate 53, to rotate in areversedirection; that is counterclockwise and downwardly to a point such thatthe tion pad 68, attached to the under surface of the annular shoulder51, immediately brings rotation of the receptacle to a stop. In otherwords, due to the weight of the receptacle, transmission housing, andclothes in the receptacle, the total weight is such that, for purposesof any other operation of the machine, the receptacle has now become onewith the fixed support. At this point, the plate 26 will have forced thearms 51a tomove upwardly about then pivot to bring the stopper head 510into sealing engagement with the drain member 13a. This effectivelyseals the receptacle against loss of water.

Referring to FIGURE 4, I have illustrated a modification of the drainmember structure. In this modification, the bottom wall of thereceptacle 113 is pro vided with an opening 114 with a depending andinturned flange 115. A drain member 116 is fixed in opening 114 by meansof a resilient ring 117 preferably of neoprene or like rubbery materialwhich may be bonded to drain member 116 and flange 115. A screen 118corresponding to screen 13c is provided at the top of the drain member116. The balance of the structure is identical with that described inconnection with FIGURES l-3.

It will, of course, be understood that other thread-like means than thebearing structure shown as between the lift member and the clutch platemay be employed and, also, that the extent of movement of the clutchplate and extent of lift of the receptacle may be varied as required,one type of machine with respect to another, without 11'! any waydeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as set out in theannexed claims.

I claim:

1. In a Washing machine having a receptacle rotatable about a verticalaxis, a housing on the bottom thereof, a fixed stationary member adaptedto receive and support said receptacle, said housing having an at-restp0 sition on said fixed stationary member, a depending drain member onthe bottom of said receptacle, stopper means on the housing adapted tomove into engagement with said drain when the housing is in theat-restposition and out of engagement when the receptacle is not inatrest position, a drive shaft on the axis of the receptacle, means forlifting saidhousing from its at-rest position and rotating it,comprising a shaft member entering said,

housing, a lift member mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, aclutch means on the lift member en- 7 gageable wit-h said housing andmeans operatively conin the drain means when the shaft is moved in theopposite direction.

2. In a washing machine having a receptacle rotatable about a verticalaxis, a housing on the bottom thereof, a fixed stationary member adaptedto receive and support said receptacle, said housing having an at-restposition on said fixed stationary member, a plurality of depending drainmembers on the bottom of said receptacle, a plurality of armscorresponding to said drain members pivoted adjacent one end on saidhousing, stopper means on the opposite end of each said arms adapted tomove into engagement with said drain members when the housing is in theat-rest position and out of engagement when the receptacle is not in theat-rest position, a drive shaft on the axis of the receptacle, means forlifting said housing from its at-rest position and rotating it,comprising a shaft member entering said housing, a lift member mountedon said shaft and rotatable therewith, clutch means on the lift memberengageable with References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS2,331,700 10/1943 Kirby 682,3 2,361,767 10/1944 Hays 68-23 3,215,23211/1965 ,Douglas 6823 X WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A WASHING MACHINE HAVING A RECEPTACLE ROTATABLE ABOUT A VERTICALAXIS, A HOUSING ON THE BOTTOM THEREOF, A FIXED STATIONARY MEMBER ADAPTEDTO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN AT-RESTPOSITION ON SAID FIXED STATIONARY MEMBER, A DEPENDING DRAIN MEMBER ONTHE BOTTOM OF SAID RECEPTACLE, STOPPER MEANS ON THE HOUSING ADAPTED TOMOVE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DRAIN WHEN THE HOUSING IS IN THE AT-RESTPOSITION AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WHEN THE RECEPTACLE IS NOT IN ATRESTPOSITION, A DRIVE SHAFT ON THE AXIS OF THE RECEPTACLE, MEANS FOR LIFTINGSAID HOUSING FROM ITS AT-REST POSITIN AND ROTATING IT, COMPRISING ASHAFT MEMBER ENTERING SAID HOUSING, A LIFT MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFTAND ROTATABLE THEREWITH, A CLUTCH MEANS ON THE LIFT MEMBER ENGAGEABLEWITH SAID HOUSING AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID LIFT MEMBER ANDCLUTCH MEANS IN A MANNER TO AXIALLY RAISE SAID CLUTCH MEANS INTOENGAGEMENT WITH THE HOUSING WHEREBY THE HOUSING IS RAISED FROM ITSATREST POSITION MOVING THE STOPPER MEANS FROM THE DRAIN MEMBER ANDROTATED WHEN SAID SHAFT IS ROTATED IN ONE DIRECTION AND TO LOWER THECLUTCH MEANS OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HOUSING AND THE HOUSING ONTO THESTATIONARY MEMBER MOVING THE STOPPER MEANS INTO CLOSING POSITION IN THEDRAIN MEANS WHEN THE SHAFT IS MOVED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.